that aeroplanes will be called upon to play an important part in
next year's military manoeuvres.
Wright Biplane with a Single Propeller.
ON the 5th inst. at Johannisthal, Thelen was trying a Wright
machine in which the usual arrangement of two propellers had been
replaced by a single one placed centrally. The machine was of the
latest type, with the elevator placed at the rear. The first experi
ments were disappointing, however, as after rising to a height of 10
metres the machine capsized and fell to the ground, being badly
damaged, although the aviator escaped practically unhurt.
A Successful German School.
THE flying school started at Mulhouse by Amerigo is meeting
with a good deal of success. One of the most successful pupils has
been Schluter, who on the 5th inst. was flying for 52 minutes,
while on the following day he made the necessary tests to qualify
for his aviator's certificate, and finished up his period of tuition by
flying for I hr. 18 mins.
Fatal Accident in Servia.
WHILE giving demonstration flights before the Servian
military representatives at Belgrade, the Austrian aviator, Rusyan,
met with a fatal accident. He had made a flight of about a mile
across the Save, which forms the Croatian frontier, and was
returning, when the machine collapsed and fell to the ground.
According to one account the propeller dropped off, while another
report states that the wing snapped. When extracted from the
remains of the monoplane the aviator was found to be seriously
injured, and in spite of immediate medical attention, succumbed
within a few minutes.
A New Voisin Machine.
AT the present time when most builders are abandoning the front
elevator in favour of one placed at the rear, it is very interesting to
notice that MM. Voisin Freres have turned out a biplane which is
distinguished by the fact that it has an elevator in front, while there
is an entire absence of any tail at the rear. From the accompanying
photograph it will be seen that the monoplane elevator is placed a
very long way in front of the main plane and that the rudder is also
mounted above the elevator in front. The 50-h.p. Rossel Peugeot
rotary motor and metal propeller are arranged at the rear edge of
the main plane in very much the usual manner, and it will be noticed
that lateral stability is maintained by means of balancing flaps at the
ends of the main plane. The aviator sits some distance in advance
of the main planes with the controlling levers of the usual type
arranged in front of him. The position of the pilot is such that
should any part of the engine break, it is extremely unlikely that it
would injure him, while he is also able to get a good view of his
surroundings. Needless to say the trials of this novel machine,
seeing that it is the work of the Voisins, will be watched with
great attention by all having any interest in aviation.
The main planes, which are placed 1-6 metres apart, have a span
of 12 metres, while the chord is 2'2 metres, so that the bearing
surface amounts to 26-4 square metres. The monoplane elevator
m easures 4 metres by 3 -2 metres, and so the area is 12 '8 square metres.
THE LATEST VOISIN MACHINE.—View from the side of the latest biplane constructed by MM. Voisin Frferes.
Remarkable "snap" of the Antoinette monoplane in mid
air during the recent disastrous and fatal accident to
MM. Laffont and Mario Pola, showing a portion of the
planes torn completely away. The tractor-screw, it will be
seen, is still in revolution.
The fuselage, which carries the elevator in front and the motor and
propeller at its after end, is a long rectangular framework mounted
on a modification of the usual type of Voisin landing chassis while
at its forward end are arranged a supplementary pair of wheels
to assist in landing. In this connection it will be remem
bered that Santos Dumont's first successful flight was made on a
biplane with a box form elevator mounted a considerable distance
in front of the main planes, which gave the machine the appearance
of flying tail first. This was illustrated in the Automotor Journal of
November 24th, 1906.
Aviator Zselyi in Perfect Health.
THERE having been recently a deal of discussion in aeronautical
circles as to whether the Hungarian engineer Zselyi (whose name
has been variously given as ^osely and Joseli) was killed last year,
Mr. T. O'B. Hubbard, Secretary of the Aeronautical Society, wrote
to the Austrian Aero Club to ascertain the facts. The reply is to
the effect that although Aladore Zselyi was badly injured on June 1st,
he was not killed and is now in perfect health.